Description: How can early childhood educators navigate the evolving challenges of care and education in today's world? The early years, from birth to age 8, are the most critical period for building a person's lifelong health, learning, and behavior. In this fully revised second edition of The Early Years Matter, consultants Marilou Hyson and Heather Tomlinson provide an evidence-based, optimistic roadmap for navigating the complexities of modern early childhood care and education. This book summarizes up-to-date research on the value of high-quality services for young children and families, offering practical tools for reflection, dialogue, and action. As the field faces seismic shifts, this new edition addresses the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of childhood anxiety and trauma, immigrant children's safety and security, and the importance of equity in all areas of child and family life New for the Second Edition: Contemporary Contextual Updates: Covers the ongoing impact of the pandemic, increased racial and ethnic diversity in the U.S., and the ongoing childcare availability and quality crisis.Holistic Development Focus: Provides new insights into the role of childhood trauma and anxiety on development, offering tools for educators to support children's well-being.Enhanced Multimedia Learning: Both print and e-books include multiple links to key online resources. New and updated Professional Profiles now include access to brief video interviews with early childhood leaders who discuss their career paths and perceptions of issues in the field.Toolkit for Using this Book with Others: Access to a new, free, downloadable toolkit featuring suggestions for faculty and professional development providers of in-person or online classes; a "Making Connections" section showing alignment with NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) standards and guidelines; and links to additional online resources relevant to each chapter.Relatable Case Studies: Each chapter begins with updated introductory vignettes typically describing a specific child, family, and early childhood professional, illustrating key themes that are discussed in the chapter.Interactive Professional Development Activities: Includes suggestions for further reading, reflection or action steps, as well as questions designed to spark dialogue in both college courses and professional development workshops.
Brief description: Marilou Hyson, Ph.D., is a consultant in early child development and education and adjunct professor in the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education. Formerly associate executive director of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Marilou also served as professor and chair of the University of Delaware's Department of Individual and Family Studies. At NAEYC, Marilou contributed to the development of position statements on early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation; early learning standards; early childhood mathematics; and professional preparation; she also worked on accreditation and national recognition for 2- and 4-year higher education programs. Most recently, Marilou has consulted with the World Bank and Save the Children on early childhood projects in Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Bhutan. A former editor-in-chief of Early Childhood Research Quarterly and a former executive branch fellow of the Society for Research in Child Development, Marilou's publications have emphasized young children's emotional development and approaches to learning, global efforts to develop and evaluate early childhood services, and early childhood professional development. She is the author of The Emotional Development of Young Children: Building an Emotion-Centered Curriculum and Enthusiastic and Engaged Learners: Approaches to Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom, both published by Teachers College Press.